


KISS KISS Pass the Fucking Ball

by Chiharu



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball, Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: Family Reunions, Gen, Kise is a poor man's Tamaki, Mommy Issues, School Festivals, get Momoi away from Renge, lucky item abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-03-14
Packaged: 2018-03-17 18:11:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3539114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chiharu/pseuds/Chiharu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Akashi goes to Ouran Academy to visit Cousin Suoh. Everyone suffers. </p><p>Now featuring the OMAKE: Teiko Middle School Host Club.</p>
            </blockquote>





	KISS KISS Pass the Fucking Ball

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place after the Winter Cup but before the events of EXTRA GAME. It's implied that Akashi's mother and Suoh Yuzuru were cousins, making Akashi and Tamaki second cousins. Anyone who's read the Ouran manga knows that this isn't what actually happens during Ouran's festival. Also, random fact: Hikaru and Murasakibara have the same seiyuu!

The shinkansen is barely out of Kyoto station when Momoi calls, sounding pleased on the other end of the line. "Akashi-kun, I hear you're coming back to Tokyo this weekend. Will you join us for a few games of basketball?" She rattles off his ex-teammates' respective schedules before he can reply. Akashi listens, out of politeness sake, as Momoi talks about Kise's recent photoshoots and the omurice curry Kagami made them after last week's game, before interrupting.

"Actually, I will be unable to join you tomorrow. My father wishes to spend the day with me," Akashi replies, watching the scenery outside. He wonders who leaked his schedule to her, and spends a second debating the higher probability between Mibuchi or Hayama's betrayal. 

"I shall move the game to Sunday, then," Momoi replies smoothly, and Akashi almost misses having her as his maneger. 

Instead, he says, "I will be spending Sunday with my cousin, so I will be unable to make it to the street ball game."

Momoi hums for a bit, and Akashi can hear her tapping a pencil on something. "Akashi-kun only has one cousin our age currently living in Tokyo, right? I'm sure he wouldn't mind joining us." Akashi changes his mind and decides that he does not miss Momoi prodding into his life, after all.

In a momentary loss of tact, Akashi replies, "Unfortunately, I will be attending his school festival, which I suspect will take up the entire day. Please relay my apology to the others." He should have suspected something when she paused before wishing him goodbye sweetly. Instead, Akashi thinks about the last time he was forced to spend time with Cousin Suoh and feels his headache growing.

 

 

 

After spending an uneventful Saturday with his father, Akashi has the chauffeur drop him outside of the Ouran Academy gates come Sunday afternoon. For once, he feels slightly relieved to see matching limos stretching around the street as girls pass him in glee. Akashi takes one step onto campus and is silently glad for his decision to attend Rakuzan, which, despite its prestige and equally large endowment, proves to be less hectic and extravagant than Ouran. He had visited with his father once, more than a year ago, to scout possible high schools. Back then, Uncle Yuzuru spent more time grilling Akashi about his basketball career than promoting his own academy. They'd met Cousin Suoh for dinner, where Uncle Yuzuru made up alarmingly erroneous tales about the origins of Japanese dishes while Cousin Suoh listened with the naivety of a child. Akashi spent the entire meal wondering if they were really related. 

Still, Akashi's father had thought it polite for him to attend Cousin Suoh's school festival, especially after receiving elaborate invitations weeks in advance. His father had also made it clear that Cousin Suoh would eventually inherit the entire Suoh fortune, so Akashi decided that this visit would count for his yearly obligatory interaction with his half-French second cousin. 

On his way to the building that houses the third music room, Akashi passes an array of outdoor club booths and students in various costumes advertising their events. Still, Akashi recognizes the standard blue blazers and yellow dress uniforms that everyone dons, which makes visitors stand out more than usual. This is exactly how he spots a tall pair arguing near the entrance of the west wing while their companions look put-out. Akashi’s fight or flight response is instantly triggered.

He tries to evade them discreetly, but only gets a few meters away before Momoi calls "Akashi-kun~" loudly and surely. Akashi frowns as he makes his way over to an arguing Kagami and Aomine, who seem surprised to see him. Kuroko doesn't even bat an eyelash. 

"Oi," Aomine says, taking a moment to drop his grip on Kagami's shirt. "What are you doing here, Akashi?"

"What are you doing in Tokyo?" Kagami takes a step towards Akashi, who finds it unfortunate that Kagami has not learned his lesson about personal space since the Winter Cup.

Akashi looks pointedly at Momoi, who smiles brilliantly at him. Then he turns to Kuroko, the person most likely to respond reasonably. "My cousin attends this academy and has invited me to come visit him. Why are you here?"

"Momoi-san informs me that Ouran Academy has a number of booths set up. Their agriculture club is selling limited edition Hokkaido milkshakes made with the Nikido family's secret recipe. Their recipe has won numerous awards at international culinary expos." Kuroko returns his stare evenly. 

Akashi tsks silently at Momoi and turns to Aomine and Kagami. 

"Satsuki said there would be hot girls here." 

"Kuroko said we were gonna play ball."

Momoi, like a true professional, seems completely unperturbed by their narrowing gazes. "Akashi-kun's cousin is in the host club, right? Why don't we go pay him a visit? I'm sure he wouldn't mind us intruding. This is a festival, after all. The more the merrier, right?"

Akashi privately estimates the probability of losing them in the crowd en route to the music room, but is unfortunately forced to follow Momoi as he is pseudo-flanked by two unnecessarily tall people at his sides and Kuroko at his back. He's distracted by the feminine shrills that greet them at the bottom of the staircase. Thus, it is with an expected level of annoyance that Akashi discovers a group of girls circling around a familiar blonde.

"Ah, Momocchi!" Kise cheers upon spotting them through the crowd of admirers. He politely bids the girls goodbye before joining them, happily greeting a reluctant Kagami and an annoyed Aomine.

"Why are _you_ here?" Kagami asks, looking around them as if trying to spot the nearest basketball court. "Were you tricked too?"

Kise blinks. "Momocchi told me that Kurokocchi would be here. That is... He _is_ here, right?" He pauses as Aomine, Momoi, and Kagami glance around them, to no avail. 

"Kuroko walked off four minutes ago," Akashi supplies, arms folded, as he nods towards the hallway to their right. When the others quickly shuffle down the corridors in search of Kuroko, Akashi follows at a respectable pace. He has an idea of what happens after this, and stops after coming across a dark hallway. "What in the world are you doing?" Akashi asks, squinting.

Midorima steps out of the shadows and adjusts his glasses. "I took refuge to avoid the commotion. Oha Asa ranked cancer in tenth place today. I refuse to tempt faith by mingling with people who will no doubt cause trouble." He puts a pink rabbit keychain in his back pocket and regards Akashi seriously. "Before you ask, I am here on Momoi's request. Although, for the record, I was misled into believing this would be a two person scouting trip."

"Huh," Akashi says, tucking his hands into his pockets. "I see." What he really sees in his peripheral vision is a group of people bounding over to him, followed by a reluctant looking Kuroko. "Now is your last chance to escape." 

Midorima just pushes his glasses further up the bridge of his nose and stiltedly greets the others, who seem vastly indifferent to his presence. Except for Kise, who Akashi suspects would be excited to see a rock. 

Akashi’s not even surprised when they find Murasakibara minutes later. Murasakibara ignores Midorima’s indignant _what are you doing here_ and automatically goes to Akashi’s side. “Yosen is on spring break and the gym is being refurbished. I wanted to stay home, but Sacchin called and insisted I come.”

Akashi just nods at him. Unfortunately, Murasakibara takes Akashi’s silence as permission to pick a fight with Kagami over his eyebrows. Aomine joins in for reasons beyond Akashi’s comprehension, and Kise ends up having to hold Kagami back from getting violent as they move through the hallway at a snail’s pace. Thankfully, they arrive at their destination before his ex-teammates can get Akashi escorted out for causing a public disturbance. 

"Enough of this," Akashi says, opening the door to the third music room as voices greet him from the inside. He moves just in time as a strange shower of rose petals are blown in their direction, temporarily blinding him. As Akashi glances at his companions (Kagami seems to be choking on petals that flew into his mouth), he is caught off guard by movements behind him.

"Welcome!" A pair of familiar faces chorus as hands are extended towards him. "Oh, a new customer!"

"Eh, a boy?" The first twin says as the second twin leans over his shoulders, his mouth mirroring the first’s grin. "Well, this isn't exactly the first time. Which host are you looking for?" 

Akashi reexamines the plaque hanging outside of the door. Upon confirming the room number, he glances around the elaborate ballroom-like space and the girls seated on European furniture. Perhaps Cousin Suoh's club has recreated an afternoon tea lounge for the festival. "I'm looking for Suoh Tamaki-san," Akashi says, eventually. "He should be expecting me."

"Mmmm I never expected him to be your type." The second twin smirks before calling out, "Milord! A fan is here to see you!" His attention is set on Akashi's companions, who seem to have settled down after Kuroko vigorously patted Kagami out of his choking fit. Murasakibara is nowhere in sight, probably off to stalk the nearest dessert cart. Momoi, too, has taken the liberty of inviting herself in as she examines the interior of the music room. Kise is once again surrounded by girls.

"Damnit, Kuroko!" Kagami hisses. "You almost killed me!"

"I was saving you from death by rose petals," Kuroko replies absently as Aomine laughs behind them. Midorima, for the most part, seems embarrassed to be in their vicinity. "I never knew flowers could be blown so aggressively towards one's person."

"You are more than welcome to leave and explore the festival on your own," Akashi says, turning to them. "Perhaps-" His words are cut off when something rams into his back in full force, and Akashi finds himself pulled into someone's chest as blonde hair invades his mouth.

"Seijuro-kun!!!!!" Cousin Suoh shrieks, rocking Akashi back and forth. "It is so kind of you to visit me! I haven't seen you in a year, and distance has made my memories of you grow fonder! I-" Thankfully, Cousin Suoh loses his grasp on Akashi before he goes tumbling down.

"Did Akashi-kun just ankle break his own cousin?" Kuroko asks quietly. 

Cousin Suoh is unfazed and tries to embrace Akashi once more. He catches himself with the grace of a grade-schooler when Akashi evades his hug. "Are you too shy to embrace me in public? It's okay, Seijuro-kun! Remember when we played together as toddlers? You often grabbed my shirt and called me Onii-tan!"

"Onii-tan?" The twins, Aomine, and Kagami chorus with various levels of disbelief. 

"That never happened," Akashi reminds him, shooting Aomine and Kagami a look that shuts them up. "Please stop spreading inaccurate information, Suoh-san. May I remind you that we grew up on separate continents?"

"Yes, that is unfortunate indeed," Cousin Suoh says as he dabs his eyes with a handkerchief. "But my father often shows me photos of you as a child. He keeps it in the same collection that houses my own baby photos! It is such a travesty that, despite our strong bond and proximity in the family tree, we had to grow up apart and grow into young men so different from e-"

"Akashi, are you really related to this person?" Aomine wants to know. 

Cousin Suoh seems to notice Akashi's companions for the first time. His eyes widen as he takes in the sight of Midorima and Kagami staring at him. "And you brought friends! How lovely! I'm so glad that you, too, were able to form such strong bonds of camaraderie with your-"

“We’re not really fri-” Kagami starts to say, but stops when Kuroko steps on his left foot.

This sends Cousin Suoh on another teary spill. "I'm so honored that Seijuro-kun took the time out of his busy schedule to visit and rekindle our friendship. I know he has obligations as the student council president of Rakuzan." His sentimentality only fans the flames, as Akashi finds himself under the scrutiny of the crowd growing around them. 

"I believe Akashi-san's talents lie outside of the student council as well," another boy appears by Tamaki's side with a clipboard. He smiles in a way that reminds Akashi of Nijimura-san, who often adopted the same predatory expression before hunting Haizaki down. "Akashi Seijuro-san is also well known for his basketball skills. He has led both his middle school and high school basketball teams to the national stage. In fact, it seems that we have more than one athlete joining us today."

"Kyouya-kun! Long time no see!" Momoi chirps, joining who Akashi now recognizes as the third son of the Ootori family. Akashi remembers making small talk with him once at a gala. In fact, even the twins oo-ing and ahh-ing at them are starting to look familiar. "I'm sorry for intruding!" Momoi adds, beaming as Ootori returns her smile. 

"How do you know each other?" Aomine ask as Momoi and Ootori turn to him with identical expressions on their faces.

"Kyouya-kun and I met at a national student conference," Momoi says, which explains absolutely nothing. "When I heard that Akashi-kun was visiting his cousin at Ouran, I contacted Kyouya-kun. He was generous enough to invite us as well!"

"Eh? Basketball players?" The twins say in tandem as they round up on Midorima, of all people. One of them circles around an uncomfortable looking Midorima while the other peers unnecessarily close to his face. 

"Hikaru, please stop making our guest uncomfortable," Ootori says, ignoring the way Cousin Tamaki is currently engaged in a one-man monologue about the beauty of basketball! Sportsmanship! Camaraderie! Rivals! Ootori turns to Momoi with a smile. "Our salon is about to wrap up soon. Would you like me to accompany you on a tour of our academy?"

"Yes!" Momoi says just as Midorima yelps. Hitachiin 1 seems to have stolen his glasses as the twins take turns donning it. 

"Please return them," Midorima says stiffly, his mouth pulled into a tight line as he glances between the twins. 

"Sure," Hitachiin 1 says, passing off the glasses to Hitachiin 2 before they start circling Midorima with agility and speed that Akashi rarely sees on the basketball court. The twins strike identical poses and grin in unison. "We'll return the glasses if you beat us at a game. Which game, you ask? The Guess Which One Is Hikaru-Kun Game!" 

Midorima points to the one on the right.

"Wrong!"

Midorima points to the other left.

"Wrong!"

Midorima opens his mouth to complain, but Kise chooses then to resurface from the sea of admirers. "Eeeeh, it looks like Midorimacchi is quite popular!" Kise blinks when both twins redirect their gaze to him.

"Have we seen you somewhere before?" They ask.

Kise beams automatically as Midorima fumes. "Actually, I'm a model! You may have seen me on the cover of-"

"Nope!" The twin currently wearing the glasses decides, turning away from Kise. 

"Definitely not," the other twin chimes in. "We have better taste than that. Although, he _does_ look a bit like a tall blonde character we know."

"Eehhh?" Kise squeaks, but the twins' attention had settled on Kagami and Aomine.

"You're quite tall," Hitachiin 1 says as he peers up at Kagami, who responds by taking a step back. "And what's with that expression? Don't look so surprised! Have you never been up close and personal with another boy before?"

"Hikaru?" Hitachiin 2 asks as his eyes water. "Could it be that Hikaru secretly likes the tall, wild type?" He looks away and sighs a little. "Are you no longer satisfied with me?"

"No!" Hitachiin 1 insists, reaching for his brother until they're entwined together in a foul-inducing embrace. He whispers while holding Hitachiin 2's hands. "Don't think that, Kaoru! You're more than enough for me. Nii-chan is sorry for his wandering eyes." Their little skit sends the girls in their vicinity into deafening shrills.

"H-h-homos?" Kagami yelps, taking a step behind Aomine as they don identical expressions of disbelief. They straighten up when Momoi slaps them on the arm, mumbling something about taking one to know one. She's soon engaged in an argument with Aomine, who insists that he and Kagami have never _touched dicks, what the fuck, Satsuki!_

Akashi pointedly ignores their argument and looks around the room for traces of Murasakibara. He rubs his temples when Kuroko slides up to him. "I know what you are thinking," Akashi says.

"Really?" Kuroko replies, a small smile tugging on the corner of his lips. He looks at Cousin Suoh. "On the contrary, I see the resemblance. Akashi-kun was once quite dramatic too, although perhaps not to the same extent." He pauses when someone bumps into him, and both Kuroko and Akashi turn to a thin boy.

"Sorry," the newcomer says while holding onto a tray of tea. "I didn't see you there. Um, would you like something to drink? Sorry that this is all we have left from the club meeting." He lifts the tray up with some difficulty and smiles. 

Akashi feels that it would be impolite to refuse, so he accepts a cup as Kuroko does the same. He's slightly surprised when he recognizes the contents of the kettle as Gyokoro, the kind his father likes. Unfortunately, Akashi's enjoyment is interrupted when Cousin Suoh comes bouncing over.

"Haruhi!" Cousin Suoh wraps an arm around the slim boy's shoulders. "You must not burden yourself with manual labor! Let me help you!" 

"Kurokocchi!" Kise skitters over and pulls Kuroko closer. "Ohhh let me try some of your tea!"

"No thank you," Kuroko and the boy called Haruhi reply in unison, donning matching expressions of indifference. Both Cousin Suoh and Kise's faces crumble. Akashi turns away and privately wonders who is related to whom.

"Ah, Akachin." Murasakibara reappears then, towering over the girls who part before him. It's not until he stops in front of Akashi that Akashi realizes Murasakibara is holding someone in his arms, much like how a child would hold a stuffed animal. "Look what I found."

"Honey-Senpai!" Haruhi says, blinking up to meet Murasakibara's eye. "Um. What are you doing?"

"Haru-chan! Tama-chan!" The very real child in Murasakibara's arm greets them happily. Midorima and Momoi, having caught sight of the commotion, soon join them. "Look! I found someone taller than Takashi!"

Akashi recognizes the not-child, closes his eyes, and counts to ten. "Please put him down," he says eventually, to which Murasakibara obeys. He is equally alarmed and confused when the small boy pulls candy from his blazer pockets and hands it to Murasakibara. Akashi turns to face his cousin. "Suoh-san-" 

"Call me Tamaki!" Cousin Suoh nods enthusiastically.

"Tamaki-san," Akashi tries again. "It seems that you are quite busy, so I won't take up any more of your time. I'm sorry my companions have troubled you and disturbed your club meeting. You seem to be doing well, so I will take my leave and-"

"Seijuro-kun!" Cousin Suoh cuts in. "Are you, perhaps, too shy to ask for my time? Rest assured that you are no burden at all!" He hugs himself unnecessarily. "It pains me that I put you in this uncomfortable position when I was the one who invited you here. This must be what if feels like to be too loved, too in demand and-"

"Tamaki, you're free to go," Ootori cuts in with another dark-hair boy in tow. He extracts what appear to be Midorima's glasses and hands it to the shooting guard. "Business hours were over ten minutes ago, and the princesses are already on their way out. You can escort Akashi-san around if you'd like." 

"But what about your friends?" Cousin Suoh asks. 

As if expecting this question, Ootori procures packets of coupons and passes them around. "Unfortunately, host club hours are over, but you are more than welcome to stay and peruse through the festival. Please take these complementary coupon books from the student council, along with the event schedule for today. Take note that all the events will end by 7 pm to accommodate the student-run basketball tournament.”

“That’s what I’d rather be doing right now—playing basketball,” Aomine says. “Come on Tetsu. Let’s go find a court somewhere.”

Kagami knocks Aomine's arm off Kuroko. "Oi! Who says you'll be playing with Kuroko? I'm his partner now." Kagami frowns when Kise wines about how much he wants to play with Kurokocchi too. Midorima starts huffing about his star ranking for the day while Murasakibara slowly wanders away. The cacophony is interrupted when the sounds of whirling motor fill the room.

"How lovely!" A shrill voice calls out as the floors open up and a platform rises from the ground. A girl with a ribbon in her hair beams down at them, her hands clasped over her heart. "The rivalry and inner turmoil among teammates! The thin line between love and hate on the court! Can anything be more beautiful than the angst between brothers turned lovers? Basketball is such a beautiful sport!"

"What the flying fuck," Aomine says the same time the Hitachiins chirp, "Not this _again_."

"Hi Renge-chan~" Haninozuka cheers.

"You don't have to hide it!" The girl name Renge points at Aomine "I know all about your type! The tall, dark, and handsome lone wolf who desires love and attention from his teammates yet lacks the courage to ask for help!" She turns to Kagami. "A wild and fierce archetype who manages his uncontrollable rage by taking care of puppies in the rain!"

"Isn't Kagami afraid of dogs?" Midorima asks. 

"You!" Renge snaps, gesturing at Kuroko. "The quiet and aloof boy with a sadistic streak and a heart darker than the sea!" Her gaze lands on a glowering Midorima. "The tsundere with a heart of gold and a tragically beautiful back story." Then, Murasakibara. "The stoic body-guard who cultivates his unrequited love in silence."

"What about me?" Kise asks, raising his hand and looking excited.

Renge points at Cousin Suoh. "We already have a dumb blonde type here. You're not needed!" Ignoring Kise's wails, she looks at Akashi and sighs deeply. "And finally, the exceedingly polite prince-type with a traumatic past! Driven to the brink of breaking in order to reconcile his own desires with the burdens of his deeply scarred soul!" She fans herself gratuitously and bows. "Well? Did I get it right?"

"Hell no!" Kagami and Aomine howl the same time Kuroko says, "The last one was pretty accurate." Cousin Suoh's friends don't look surprised at all. 

"What in the world are you talking about?" Midorima asks at last, aggressively cleaning his glasses. 

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Renge says as she steps down from the platform. "I am simply reciting the plot of the newest sports-based BL visual novel: Ruruko's Basketball!" 

Kuroko is the first to speak up. "What a strange name." 

Renge just fans herself cryptically. She walks out of the room with dramatically swaying hips and parting words of, "You'll see soon enough."

"What does that mean?" Kise glances around with wide eyes, but no one in the host club seems to takes what just happened seriously. 

"Let's get out of here already," Kagami hisses, making a beeline for the door as Aomine follows. He snatches one of the coupon books out of Momoi's hands and is largely unaffected by her reprimands. Akashi has no doubt that they're on a mission to find food and all the shooting games on campus.

Midorima readjusts his glasses for the nth time and turns towards the door. "I, too, will take my leave now." He makes an undignified noise when the twins flank him on both sides with matching grins. Midorima's attempts to shake them off seem largely unsuccessful, and he's about to make a run for it when Hitachiin 2 dangles something on his fingers. "Is that?"

"Look at this cute thing I found." Hitachiin smirks as he holds up what Akashi recognizes as Midorima's lucky item of the day.

Midorima pats his back pockets and frowns deeply when he finds a wooden cat doll instead. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Come play with us~" The twins chorus as they swing Midorima's item by its chain in a circular motion. They run off into the halls and Midorima follows, muttering something about limited edition items.

"Ah! At-chan," Haninozuka says, waving at Murasakibara. "Would you like me to show you to the dessert booths? The baking club and cooking clubs are having a show down on the second floor soon. Takashi and I can take you there~" He points at the silent, dark-hair boy who Akashi can only assume is "Takashi."

Unsurprisingly, Murasakibara agrees. He picks Haninozuka up again and sets him on his shoulders like a father hoisting his child up in a crowd. Haninozuka cheers, procures a lollipop out of nowhere, and hands it to Murasakibara. They move towards the door while Haninozuka's dark-haired bodyguard follows. 

"Remember to return at the designated time," Ootori reminds them, gracefully ignoring the way Momoi is currently giggling. He smiles cryptically when Haninozuka gives him a thumbs up, and regards them when the strange trio leave. "Kise-san, would you like to accompany Momoi-san and I on a tour of Ouran?"

"Eh? But I want to be with Kurokocchi." 

Kuroko seems to be doing his best at camouflaging himself with a vase. He pauses when Haruhi pulls him away gently.

"I have a few questions I'd like to ask you," Kyouya says to Kise. His glasses shine unnaturally as he smiles politely, but firmly. 

Momoi loops an arm through Kise's and pulls him away. "Come on, Ki-chan. It'll be fun~ Plus, I think Kyouya-kun is a fan of your work~"

Akashi watches as they exit the music room. He takes in the rest of the room's occupants and looks at Cousin Suoh. 

"Looks like you're stuck with me and Haruhi!" Cousin Suoh smiles and extends a hand out to Akashi. 

His gesture, however, is interrupted when Kuroko raises his hand next to Cousin Suoh. "Excuse me. I am also here."

Cousin Suoh jumps a notable height into the air and shrieks. "Where did you come from?"

"He was always here," Akashi answers before Kuroko can open his mouth. He glances at the fourth occupant. "Hello."

"Nice to meet you," the slim boy replies politely and bows. He, at least, seems unimpressed by Kuroko's misdirection. "I'm Fujioka. If you don't mind, I'll excuse myself now."

Cousin Suoh looks stricken at the news. "But Haruhi! The more the merrier! Plus, Kyouya asked me to remind you about... You know…." He looks away dramatically in a move completely uncalled for in a normal conversation.

Fujioka's expression darkens, and Akashi feels that he is witnessing some form of blackmail as Fujioka unwillingly follows them into the hallway. Cousin Suoh, with an unnecessarily amount of enthusiasm, assigns himself as their official tour guide. 

By the time they've finished touring all four floors of the West Wing, Akashi is willing to admit that the atmosphere here feels slightly friendlier than Rakuzan. They pass by class-rooms turned into cafes, haunted houses, and arcades while female students greet Cousin Suoh left and right. Kuroko makes an impressive attempt to disappear into the second library they come across, but wanders back wordlessly when Fujioka asks where he is going. 

"Do you see it now, Seijuro-kun?" Tamaki asks lavishly, extending his arms out. "The beauty and cadence here at Ouran? This is a place where the students study together, grow up together, fall in love togethe-"

Kuroko, having gotten mouthier since defeating Akashi at the Winter Cup, interrupts. "Does that mean everyone falls in love with each other? Or as a collective?" 

Cousin Suoh, while unaffected by Kuroko's question, seems devastated when Fujioka fails to hide his laughter. "Haruhi??? Did you feel a personal connection to my moving speech?" He gasps loudly. "Could it be that you, too, have fallen in lo-"

"Please continue the tour, Senpai," Fujioka says, already moving forward. He is, however, knocked forward when a pair of children in planet costumes come dashing past them in the hallway. Akashi, predicting the trajectory of events, steps forward and catches Fujioka from the back with an arm looped around Fujioka's chest.

Akashi pauses.

Fujioka stares at him.

Cousin Suoh looks absolutely horrified. 

"Sorry!" The children insist. They appear to be donning uniforms under their costumes, and dash off quickly after bowing in apology. 

"It appears that there is a stage-play in the auditorium," Kuroko says, after a moment, when no one else speaks up.

"Would you like to see it?" Akashi asks after helping Fujioka up. "Tamaki-san, do you know what the play will be about?"

"Call me Tamaki," Cousin Suho says, then catches up with his train of thoughts. "I mean- I'll need to ask someone from the grade school division but- I mean- You didn't notice anything?" He grabs Fujioka tightly by the shoulders and shakes Fujioka back and forth. "Could it be that even my esteemed cousin couldn't notice anything with your absolutely flat-"

"If you're referring to the fact that Fujioka-san is currently wearing the wrong uniform," Akashi adds before Cousin Suoh can say something more embarrassing. "I noticed but felt it rude to ask."

Fujioka seems more annoyed than anything as she pushes Cousin Suoh away with a carefully placed hand on his face. “I believe the elementary division is putting on a production of Le Petit Prince. There are tickets in the coupon book Kyouya-senpai gave out."

"I would like to see this play," Kuroko says, already flipping through his coupon packet. He shows the time printed on the ticket to Akashi. "You can continue the tour, if you’d like."

"I'm interested in watching this too," Akashi decides after checking his cellphone for the time. "I'll come with you."

"Tamaki-senpai?" Fujioka asks quietly, when Cousin Suoh doesn't make a noise.

"Ah, sorry." Cousin Suoh flips his brilliantly blonde hair and gives them a smile that doesn't meet his eye. "Let's all go, then!"

They make it to the auditorium with enough time to find adjacent seats in the back. Akashi sits between Kuroko and Cousin Suoh, and is slightly surprised when Fujioka chooses to take a seat next to Kuroko. Akashi takes a moment to examine the exquisite designs on the walls while excited parents chat around them. He engages Kuroko in conversation about French literature while Cousin Suoh makes pitiful noises at Fujioka.

The play starts innocently enough. A small boy dressed in a pilot's uniform appears at the edge of the stage and begins to narrate the opening. Akashi is impressed when the curtain lifts to show a desert. Fujioka, however, seems alarmed at the progression of events three minutes into the play, when a mother in front of them whispers, "I hear the school imported real sand from the Sahara dessert."

"I can't believe this," Fujioka mutters under her breath. "Or rather, I can."

"I believe I am seeing a mirage. Otherwise, I believe there are real parts of a plane laid out on the stage," Kuroko adds.

Akashi reevaluates the set and decides that the small F-5B currently displayed is truly authentic. He leans over when Cousin Suoh whispers into his ear. "Haruhi is a scholarship student, so she is easily impressed. Isn't that cute?"

Akashi frowns and does not point out the fallacy in Cousin Suoh's logic, at least until the next scene. 

"That is a very accurately made crater for an elementary school production," Kuroko says when the prince appears on his planet. 

"Is that girl wearing a dress made of rose pedals?" Fujioka wants to know.

"Authenticity is something the Ouran drama department takes seriously," Cousin Suoh reminds Akashi, who has an inevitable vision of how the rest of the play will proceed. Thus, he is not surprised when a student appears on stage covered entirely in faux fox fur. Nor is he particularly shocked when a real snake is let loose in the un-controlled environment of the stage.

In fact, Akashi finds that the high production value adds little to the story itself. The acting, thankfully, is decent enough that Akashi stays entertained despite Kuroko and Fujioka's joint attempts to ruin the ambiance. Kuroko, at least, seems to be making a new friend. Their comments die down towards the middle of the play, when the set changes again.

Akashi watches with mild interest as the climax is reached. He remembers reading the book, once, when his French tutor commented on it. Akashi had been too young at the time to understand the symbolism, but sometimes he thought back to the story in French class, when verb conjugation failed to grab his attention. He's not surprised when the ending is met with rapturous applause, and Akashi joins Kuroko in clapping politely. 

Exiting the auditorium is a slow process. Akashi listens to Kuroko converse with Fujioka for a bit before noticing the silence on his other side. Cousin Suoh watches the stage quietly, as if waiting for an extension of the story that will never come, and Akashi thinks that he has never seen Suoh Tamaki like this before. He wonders privately if Cousin Suoh, who is every bit of a prince, regrets leaving his planet.

“Senpai? Are you ready?” Fujioka asks when the path is clear. 

Cousin Suoh looks up and blinks. “Huh?”

Fujioka tilts her head. “You wanted to take us to your class’s attraction, right?”

The color quickly returns to Cousin Suoh’s face. He jumps up and grins at them. “Yes! You must see the excellent display my class has set up this year!” He loops an arm through Akashi’s and is pulling them along before Akashi can politely reject.

Cousin Suoh’s idea of excellence turns out to be an extremely accurate set-up of a matsuri inside of his classroom. He escorts them inside excitedly and points out all the food stands lining the walls. “Look, Haruhi! It’s a commoner’s festival!”

“I see.” Fujioka looks unimpressed, although she does take a moment to examine the stalls. “Senpai, these prices are pretty accurate.”

“Of course!” Cousin Suoh beams. “Kyouya and I did a lot of a research! Look, Otou-san even prepared an allowance for you!” He pulls out a small coin pouch from his pockets and hands it to Fujioka.

“Otou-san?” Kuroko asks quietly, and pauses when Fujioka opens the pouch to find 100 yen coins still secured in bank rolls. He gives Akashi a look while Fujioka openly asks if Cousin Suoh has ever touched Japanese currency before. Fujioka seems unimpressed when Cousin Suoh tells her about his large collection of “commoners’ coins,” and wanders off without them. 

Akashi gets distracted when Kagami comes trotting up to them with an armful of food. Kagami is juggling three boxes of okonomiyaki when Kuroko expertly swipes one from his grasp. “Oi, Kuroko! Get your own food!” 

“Tetsu can have some of mine.” Aomine appears, holding two boxes of yaki soba while chewing on more than one takoyaki ball. Together, he and Kagami manage to coerce Kuroko into accompanying them on another round of the food stalls.

Akashi turns and finds Cousin Suoh smiling at him. “What do you think, Seijuro-kun?”

“The food looks good,” Akashi says as he spots a stall selling agedashi tofu. He’s surprised when Cousin Suoh follows his gaze and pulls him towards the stand.

“Two orders please!” Cousin Suoh tells the classmate behind the stand, who responds with a cheerful _Tamaki-sama_! Cousin Suoh smiles as he hands one of the orders to Akashi. “Seijuro-kun really likes tofu, right? My mother really loves it too!”

“I see,” Akashi says, looking down at his food. He sets a few coins on the counter, but is not surprised when Cousin Suoh brandishes another roll of coins. Akashi attempts to slip away unnoticed while Cousin Suoh fumbles with money, but is not surprised when Cousin Suoh catches up with him minutes later. By then, Akashi has already finished his tofu.

“Did you enjoy the play, Seijuro-kun?”

Akashi meets Cousin Suoh’s eyes and takes in the unassuming smile on the blonde’s face. “Yes, but it seems like you didn’t.”

Cousin Suoh’s expression falters a little. “It was a well-produced play! I’m amazed by the complexity conveyed in the students’ acting! And…” He trails off when Akashi gives him a pointed look. “It reminded me of something else, that’s all.”

Akashi chooses his next words carefully. “Most readers agree that although the Prince suffers greatly after departing from his planet, leaving his rose was a necessity. You should understand that. Even more so, you have the privilege of seeing your rose again, eventually.” He sets off towards the next tofu stand before his wayward cousin can reply. How silly, he thinks, it is to trade a mother’s love for empty estates and relatives who refuse to acknowledge his worth. Akashi knows, more than anyone, how Suoh Tamaki feels. 

“Wait! Seijuro-kun!” Cousin Suoh catches Akashi’s arm and tugs him back. It’s not forceful, but it does make Akashi pause. His cheeks are red when Akashi turns around. “You’re right. I’m more privileged than a lot of people. I _know_ that.” Unexpected tears appear in his eyes. “I’m so sorry to have upset you, Seijuro-kun!”

Akashi blinks once, then twice. Unfortunately, his brain to mouth filter is still in repairs since the Winter Cup, and Akashi replies. “You didn’t upset me. I was trying to upset _you_.”

“What?” Cousin Suoh shrinks back to cover his mouth. “Really? And here I thought I had caused you tremendous pain!” He sighs dramatically. “Perhaps it’s our fate to inherit such traumatically beautiful faces and such wretched souls that earn to inflect damage on each othe-”

“You’ve watched too many dramas,” Akashi says, pausing when Cousin Suoh looks at him. “I think they’ve rotted your brain.”

“Grandmother tells me that too…” Cousin Suoh trails off.

Akashi considers this. Cousin Suoh’s grandmother is similar to Akashi’s late grandfather in many ways, as siblings should be. Yet Akashi himself would not dare to anger the woman. “Your grandmother once told me that my hair was too bright and asked my father to dye it black.”

“She said that?” Cousin Suoh looks devastated. 

“My father declined, and we were uninvited to dinner at the Main Suoh estate for a year. I dare say that I’m still not her favorite.” Akashi remembers the way his father had firmly rejected the suggestion and how he had run a hand through Akashi’s hair on the ride home. He remembers staring at the photo of his mother on his dresser when he came home, her hair a vibrant echo of his own. 

“So we do have something in common!” Cousin Suoh insists with large eyes.

“Yes,” Akashi says quietly. Then they’re both smiling, the ends of Akashi’s lips pulled up in unspoken agreement as Cousin Suoh grins at him. 

They’re interrupted when Cousin Suoh’s phone goes off. As Cousin Suoh excuses himself, Akashi turns to find Aomine and Kagami heading over.

“So…” Kagami starts off, rubbing the back of his neck. “How good is your field of view?”

Akashi raises an eyebrow.

“We lost Kuroko,” Aomine cuts to the chase. 

Akashi does a quick scan around them. “He’s no longer in this area.”

“So you can’t detect his presence nearby?” Kagami asks.

“No, because I am not a sonar radar,” Akashi replies drily. 

Cousin Suoh returns then, looking apologetic. “Ah! You should go with them to look for your friend, Seijuro-kun! Kyouya just called, and I have some business to take care of! Come find me before you leave, though!”

“See you later,” Akashi agrees as Cousin Suoh quickly exits the room. He then turns to Aomine and Kagami. “Well? Let’s go.”

The search for Kuroko is tedious and long. Aomine grumbles about Kuroko’s inability to answer his phone while he and Kagami argue over which direction Kuroko must have gone, deferring to Akashi’s guidance when tries to ditch them. They find Midorima hiding behind a tree in the courtyard while holding a larger version of the pink rabbit plush, looking haggard. He sticks to Akashi like glue and refuses to explain anything until they pass by the baking club to find Murasakibara having afternoon tea. 

“Hello, Aka-chin,” Murasakibara says with a mouthful of cake while Haninozuka waves at Midorima. 

Haninozuka grins happily and blinks his large eyes at them. He pats the rabbit in Midorima’s arms when they walk over. “Shin-chan, was Usa-chan able to help you?” 

“Yes,” Midorima says at last, watching the blonde boy repeatedly pat the rabbit plush on the head. “This served as a sufficient replacement for my lucky item, and I was able to evade the devilish twins at last.” 

Haninozuka nods seriously in understanding. This is mimicked by the taller boy, who Akashi now recognizes as the heir of the Morinozuka clan, by his side. “Well, At-chan. It seems like your friends are here to pick you up! But you’re always welcome back here to have more cake, you know!”

“Bye Hani-chin.” Murasakibara waves a hand in their direction and wordlessly follows Akashi. He ignores Midorima’s comments about the food on his face and engages Akashi in conversation about the beauty of Ouran’s custom-ordered pastries. 

Kise and Momoi are easy to locate. Akashi takes one look at the crowd of girls by the make-shift arcade and easily spots a tuft of blonde hair. Kise’s entire face lights up when he sees them, and he takes a bit of time to redistribute all the prizes he’s won to various admirers before making his way over. Momoi follows with a yellow bear plush in her arms. “I watched a boy win at the claw machine and used Perfect Copy to hone my skills! What do you think?” Kise poses.

“What happened to Ootori?” Akashi asks without answering. 

Momoi taps her finger on her chin. “Kyouya-kun left to take care of some business. He did take a bunch of photos of Ki-chan around campus, though.”

“It’s so nice to meet someone who appreciates my beauty~” Kise tells Aomine, who covers Kise’s face with his hand in response.

“Did you ask what he planned on doing with those photos?” Midorima tsks. “You’re a professional model, yet you didn’t even charge someone for taking pictures of you. Do you _know_ how much your photo cards cost at the idol shops?”

Kise blinks a few times, eyelashes fanning across his cheeks. “Ehhh? Midorimacchi! Do you go to the idol shops just to buy my photos?! You should’ve just asked me!”

Akashi ignores Midorima’s sputter of _that’s not the point_ and moves towards their destination—the agriculture club. There, they easily spot Kuroko and Fujioka, holding identical cups of the infamous Hokaiddo milkshake while talking about something. Fujioka bids them goodbye politely upon checking the time.

“Well,” Aomine says, one arm on Kuroko’s shoulder as he stirs the smaller boy towards the exit. “Let’s go now. I’m tired of this joint.” They’re halfway into the hall when Momoi pulls on Aomine’s hoodie and tugs him back. “What? Satsuki?”

“Where do you think you’re going?” Momoi asks sweetly.

“Home?” Aomine raises an eyebrow. “All the booths are packing up.”

Momoi brings her hands together. “Yes. They’re closing down the festivities for the student basketball tournament—the one I signed you all up for.”

Akashi plugs fingers into his ears as a handful of “WHAT?!!”s echo through the halls. 

Kuroko sips on his milkshake blissfully. “I never lied to Kagami-kun about playing basketball.”

“Not all of us are wearing basketball clothes, Sacchin.”

“Ho ho ho~” A familiar voice says behind them, causing Midorima and Kise to jump. They turn around to find Renge, the strange girl from the host club, with a fan in her hand. “I just happen to have the first edition jerseys from Ruruko’s basketball on hand~”

“How fortunate!” Momoi says in unconvincing shock. 

“I suppose you will have to wear these jerseys instead,” Momoi and Renge chorus in unison, hands joined in a high-five.

The jerseys, Akashi can deal with. This on-going friendship between Momoi and the Renge girl was alarmingly problematic. 

 

 

 

From what Akashi has gathered, the basketball tournament is organized by the student council. Each bracket consists of four pick-up teams, and each team is expected to win a 15 minute game before moving on to the next round. They use rock-paper-scissors to decide the starting lineup for the first game, and Akashi finds himself on the bench with a grumbling Kagami as the others play against a novice team. He’s surprised that Aomine agreed to play in such an easy game, but Akashi supposes they’ve all changed for the better. Kagami, for the most part, seems eager to be on the court. “Relax,” Akashi tells him as Kise dunks. “I’m sure you’ll get to play in the next game.”

Kagami gives Akashi what he assumes is the stink eye. “How can you sit so still when you could be playing?”

“Akashi-kun has always been very disciplined,” Momoi reminds them with a small smile. She doesn’t bother with note-taking—a sure sign that victory is a given. She’s also donning a hoodie that matches their surprisingly functional cosplay jerseys, and Akashi wonders if she planned this all along. He wouldn’t put it past her.

As expected, the buzzer sounds on their victory. Their not-so-make shift team accepts the towels that Momoi hands them while Akashi congratulates them. 

Surprisingly enough, their next opponents are the Ouran Basketball Club, who look overwhelmingly nervous. 

“Ouran Academy has a nationally ranked American football team, but I’m afraid their basketball club leaves much to be desired,” Momoi explains before the match. “With that said, I’m sure they know a thing or two about the high school basketball circuit. So, be nice. Dai-chan and Mido-rin, you two sit out.”

True to Momoi’s words, the basketball club is no match against them. They are, however, more skilled than their previous opponents. Still, displaying any additional skills is largely unnecessary for winning. Kagami dunks on the buzzer beat and they soundly defeat their opponents. The term “Generation of Miracles” is only mentioned a few times.

“I guess the basketball club was hoping to win the tournament,” Momoi says during their break. 

"Then who are we playing against in the final match?" Midorima asks, wiping his glasses clean. The crowd around the courts has grown significantly larger since their infamous middle-school fame spread, on-lookers whispering excitedly among themselves. 

"Wait," Aomine says, picking up a left-over flyer from the ground. He jabs a finger at the print on the paper. "It says that the winners will receive 100,000 yen! That's eight new pairs of basketball shoes!" 

Akashi personally does not need a new pair of basketball shoes, but he can feel the entire team shift into game-mode at the announcement. He wonders who their unfortunate opponents are, and whether Ouran Academy is ready to see Aomine go into the zone for the sake of his shoe collection.

Their question is answered soon enough.

"What are you people doing here?!" Kagami screeches at the sight of the host club on the court, clad in matching jerseys sans Fujioka, who looks completely attached to her spot on the bench. "You guys play basketball?!!"

Hitachiin 1 shrugs, leaning into his brother. "We made it this far, didn't we?"

"Seijuro-kun!" Cousin Suoh beams when they're lined up for the tip-off. "It's so exciting to face you on the field! I, too, have seen the light—the beauty and grace of basketball in motion is truly amazing!"

"Let's have a good match," Akashi says.

"We'll beat your asses for sure," Aomine tells Ootori. 

Ootori smiles unflinchingly. "Would you like to make a bet?" 

"Ara?" Murasakibara looks down. "Those are big words."

The match is nothing like what Akashi expects. Within the first minute, Haninozuka earns a foul for attempting to make a goal while sitting on Morinozuka's shoulders. Cousin Suoh loses possession of the ball twice due to his inability to dribble properly. One of the twins knocks Kuroko down after not seeing him. The surprise contender is Morinozuka, who is unexpectedly aggressive on the court. With the help of Ootori, he manages to bring the host club's team to double digits first.

"Enough of this nonsense," Midorima decides and shoots his first high-arc three pointer. The crowd oohs in response, and the game really begins. 

"I've been told that athletes have their own charm." Cousin Suoh attempts to start a conversation while Akashi is pseudo-marking him. "What do you think? Seijuro-kun? Should I begin my sports career?" He opens his arms in a welcoming motion as the basketball hits him on the head. "Ack!"

"Thanks, Milord!" Hitachiin 2 snatches the ball out of the air and proceeds to make a shot while Akashi is examining Cousin Suoh's skull for injuries. 

"Oy, Akashi! Get your head in the game!" Aomine makes a face as he passes Akashi. He nearly trips over Haniozuka's body and earns the other team a free throw. 

"Kise-kun, what do you think of signing a modeling contract with the Ouran Photography club?" Ootori says while Kise is guarding him. He pulls a few photos out of nowhere and shows them to Kise. "I had these pictures of you from today express-developed. I believe you are in high demand with the Ouran population. I dare say that you may even top Tamaki's popularity as the number one host of Ouran."

"Ehhh? Really?" Kise asks and completely misses the pass made for him. It goes out of bounds.

What follows is the strangest game Akashi has ever played in. Midorima misses a shot when the twins blow kisses at him and proposition him for a three-some. Murasakibara is completely unwilling to play against Haninozuka and lets the tiny third-year score on his watch. When Momoi calls for a member change, Kagami comes onto the court and covers his entire face when he almost gets flashed by Cousin Suoh.

"This is getting ridiculous," Akashi says during time out. "You should understand what is happening."

"Yes," Renge agrees, appearing in their circle and causing a handful of them to jump back in alarm. "You've been distracted by the beastly call of their homosexuality. Fear not, for attraction to the same gender is nothing to frown upon! You must accept this heavy burden and embrace your forbidden lov-"

"Midorima will switch marks with me. Don't listen to anything my cousin says. Aomine-- focus on stopping Morinozuka. He's fast but no match for either you or Kagami in the zone, not that it's necessary. Kise will stick with what he's doing. I'll take care of the twins."

Taking care of the twins is easier said than done. Akashi keeps track of them with his emperor eye as the Kagami and Aomine pair counterattacks and slowly gains back their lost points. With one minute on the clock, Akashi moves forward to stop Ootori and knocks into Hitachiin 2. 

Hitachiin goes down and completely crumbles on the ground. Akashi pauses and looks at him.

"Kaoru?!!!" His brother shrieks and is by his side immediately, to the delightful screams in the audience. "Kaoru?! Are you okay?! Are you hurt?!"

"I-I'm okay, Hikaru," Hitachiin 2 says with tears in his eyes. He makes a pained face and grasps his brother's hand. "Please... don't weep for me!" This only sends the girls in the audience into a louder frenzy.

"But you're-" Hitachiin 1 cuts himself off, looking distraught. He cradles his brother's face in his hands. "How can I not? When you hurt, _I hurt_."

"What's happening?" Kise asks Kagami and Midorima. "Did Akashicchi ankle break him too hard?"

Akashi wants to point out that he barely did anything, but is distracted by the sound of the buzzer. It's then that he realizes the whistle never blew when Hitachiin was injured, which means the game progressed while they all watched the scene unfold. He looks at the scoreboard and frowns. In the confusion, Morinozuka managed to score against them.

"Winner, team white!" The referee announces to the overwhelming sound of cheers.

"Wait, what?!" Aomine demands. "That doesn't count! What the-"

"A loss is a loss," Ootori reminds him, his glasses flashing under the lights.

"Yeah… Accept your _loss_ ," the twins chorus, no longer crying and miraculous cured of their injury.

"I can't believe this." Midorima says, later, when they watch the host club accept their large trophy. "I've played in some truly ridiculous games in the past, but this was...It was..."

"I understand." Akashi looks at him, but somehow he feels more amused than annoyed. 

"Seijuro-kun!" Cousin Suoh says when he comes bouncing over. "My father called us into his office!

Ah, Akashi thinks. "Go on without me," he tells Kuroko, who gives him a blank look.

"At-chan!" Haninozuka says. "I think all the extra food from the fair has been deposited in the cafeteria! We can probably grab some dessert before the night staff start cleaning everything up!" That does the trick, and both teams begin to wander off, lured by the promise of food. 

Midorima gives Akashi a look that suggests they'll be waiting for him, and Akashi smiles a little to himself as he follows Cousin Suoh up to the top floor of the main academy building.

Akashi expects a lot of things to happen in Uncle Yuzuru's office, but what he _doesn't_ expect is to see his father and Uncle Yuzuru having tea. "Ah! Tamaki and Seijuro! How nice of you boys to join us!"

While Cousin Suoh greets Uncle Yuzuru, Akashi stares at the sight of his father on the couch. The man appears to be surrounded by photo albums, and Akashi has a sinking feeling in his stomach when he catches on. "Father-"

"Seijuro!" Uncle Yuzuru loops an arm around Akashi's shoulder while his other arm settles on Cousin Suoh. "I hope you had fun playing with your dear cousin! Tamaki always enjoys seeing you! You boys are similar in so many ways! It's a shame that you're not in Tokyo more often!"

Akashi feels his father's gaze on him and doesn't attempt to struggle. He responds politely to Uncle Yuzuru and allows himself to be manhandled to the couch. 

"Your uncle called me this afternoon and invited me over," Akashi's father explains with a hint of amusement in his voice. "I had just finished work for the day and felt it appropriate to make a visit. He has a rather large collection of photos that I haven't seen in a while."

Akashi looks down at the photo album on his father's lap and blinks. He recognizes the woman in the wedding gown easily. After all, he's seen his parents' wedding portrait hung over the fireplace in his father's study countless times. His mother looks absolutely radiant as she dances with Uncle Yuzuru in this photo. "I've never seen this one before."

Uncle Yuzuru laughs. "Shiori was always more fond of candid photos than your father was. I'm sure she stored copies of these in your house somewhere." He opens another album and shows Akashi a series of black and white photographs. It takes Akashi a second to realize they're of his mother, taken when she was his age, maybe younger.

"Shiori was always so photogenic." Uncle Yuzuru hands the album over, and Akashi finds himself touching the edges for fear of smearing the surface. 

Akashi stares at these private moments of his mother at the pool, standing on a swing hung from a tree, and holding a disgruntle-looking cat with humor in her eyes. Relatives always told Akashi that his mother was a lot like Uncle Yuzuru. Yet, the photos of her in his father's collection always seemed so prim and proper, like she had grown out of her reputation. He looks at a more recent, color photo of her smiling as if sharing a joke with the person behind the camera. "She seems so happy in this one," Akashi says.

"Yes, of course," Uncle Yuzuru agrees. "You look a lot like her, you know."

Akashi knows. He is reminded of this at every family reunion. Still, Akashi's earliest memories had been of family gatherings at the Suoh estate, of holding his mother's hand as he is forced to recite the names of every relative on the property. Back then, Akashi often wondered why Uncle Yuzuru didn't have a child of his own. He didn't hear about Suoh Tamaki until years later. By then, his mother had passed away and Akashi had little concerns outside of basketball. 

Akashi's thoughts are interrupted when Uncle Yuzuru points to another colored photograph. It's of two women, sitting side by side while laughing over something. Akashi's mother is on the left, looking radiant with her red hair pulled into a long braid as she laughs behind her hands. Given the chance, this is how Akashi wants to remember her forever. He looks at the photo again. To his mother’s right is a blonde woman who looks incredibly like Cousin Suoh.

"This is when Shiori went to France and met Anne-Sophie," Uncle Yuzuru explains fondly as he shares a smile with Akashi's father. "She waited months until she was sure that Seijuro could brave the flight."

Akashi blinks. "What?"

Akashi's father flips the page and shows them an unmistakable photo of two toddlers. The redhead, holding a block toy, is leaning partially on his companion as the blonde boy holds him in a half-hug. Akashi never knew he was so chubby as a baby. His only consolation is that Cousin Suoh was in the same boat. Akashi looks up to find the blonde beaming at him.

"I told you," Cousin Suoh reminds him with a brilliant smile. 

"Yeah," Akashi says and returns it.

It’s not until later, when Akashi’s father has dismissed him and Uncle Yuzuru has finished teasing cousin Suoh, that they walk back down to the courtyard. The moonlight filters through the large casement windows in the hallway, illuminating Cousin Suoh’s face as he stops and says, “Let’s take a photo together too! One day our children can look at them too!”

Akashi appreciates the thought, although he can’t see himself as a father anytime soon. Still, he scoots a little towards his cousin as the blonde tilts his phone up to take multiple selfies. 

“Your friends are interesting,” Akashi says as he recalls the series of events today. 

“They’re wonderful,” Cousin Suoh agrees happily, clicking through something on his phone. “I’m extremely grateful to have found people who accept me.” He looks up, smiling. “I’m sure you have, too.”

Akashi pauses. “My ex-teammates are… okay. They’re loud but entertaining, sometimes.”

“Really?” Cousin Suoh pulls him a bit closer. This time, when he loops an arm through Akashi’s, Akashi doesn’t shrug out of his grip. Cousin Suoh tilts his head as his eyes soften. “But I think you had a lot of fun today, Seijuro-kun.”

Akashi smiles and doesn’t deny it.

 

 

 

OMAKE: ~ THE HOST CLUB IS IN SESSION~

“Welcome to the host club!”

Takao is greeted with a shower of roses when he enters the room. He blinks at the boy with glasses at the entrance. “Eh? Isn’t this a music room?”

“Yes,” the boy tells him, scribbling something on his clipboard. “This music room is the official operating venue of the Ouran High School Host Club. Unfortunately, our regular hosts are not available today due to our special event. May I recommend one of our special event hosts?” He raises an arm and a large blackboard is wheeled into view. 

Takao nearly chokes when he sees the Generation of Miracles’ pictures pinned on the board. Each picture is attached with a caption and summary of the host.

“Would you like the cool type? The wild type? The-”

Takao points at Midorima’s photo. “I want him.”

The boy gives him a knowing look and smiles. He gestures towards a girl at his right. “Of course. Please follow Renge-san to your designated host.”

Midorima is already sitting amongst a handful of girls when Takao arrives. He flushes upon spotting Takao and nearly drops the teacup in his hands. 

“Shin-chan! You told me you had to skip practice for a piano recital! I even brought over the homework you left in the club room!” Takao accuses dramatically, taking a seat and pouting. “It turns out that you were ditching me to hang out with cute girls. I’m jealous~”

The girls around them pause. “Um…. Do you know Midorima-kun?”

Takao shoots them a grin. “This guy and I are partners on the basketball court! I guess you can say we’re the same off the court. Shin-chan is too shy to admit it, though.”

“TAKAO!” Midorima says, standing up and hauling Takao out of his seat. He shoots the girls an endearingly embarrassed look. “I must speak to him privately. Please excuse us!”

It’s not until they’re hiding behind a dessert cart that Midorima hisses, “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see you play the piano,” Takao says truthfully, admiring the blush on Midorima’s face. “But this is even better, Shin-chan. What in the world are _you_ doing here?” He pauses and glances around the room at the European styled furniture. “Also… Is that _Kagami_ over there?!”

Midorima frowns deeply. “Aomine lost a bet, and consequentially got everyone into this mess.” He trails off, muttering something about completely ridiculous basketball games and crazy rich people. He doesn’t notice Takao wandering off.

“Akashi-kun, is it true that you’ve been the Captain of two nationally ranked basketball teams?”

Akashi turns to the girl and nods. “Yes. I’m currently the Captain at Rakuzan in Kyoto. Prior to that, I was the captain at Teiko Middle School in Tokyo. Although we suffered a loss at the finals of the Winter Cup, we are still the reigning champions at the Interhigh and National Tournament.” He frowns, looking into his tea. “It would be untrue to say that I do not blame myself for our loss. However, I will do my best to bring Rakuzan back to the top at the Winter High. I simply hope that my teammates will continue to support me and help me overcome my inadequacies.”

“Akashi-kun!” One of the girls insists, eyes wide. “I’m sure your team does not blame you! Please don’t think like that!”

Takao can’t _believe_ the nonsense Akashi is spewing. He doesn’t know if he should laugh or cry. 

“Murasakibara-kun, you really like dessert, don’t you?” A pretty brunette says as she sits on the love chair across from Mursakibara. She smiles at the girl to her right and offers a plate to Murasakibara. “Here, please have more.”

“Mmmm.” Murasakibara hums, setting his plate down. He looks at the girl. “It’s not just dessert. I like sweet things in general. You’re pretty sweet too, Minachin.”

What the actual fuck, Takao wants to scream.

“Why in the world would I be jealous of Aomine?” Kagami is busy saying at another corner of the room. He frowns into the floor, clearly sulking. “Just because he used to be Kuroko’s partner doesn’t mean anything. I’m the one playing with Kuroko now. I understand him the most.”

“Bakagami is jealous,” Aomine says, setting an arm around Kagami. “He’ll never understand Tetsu the way I do.”

“Is this true, Kuroko-kun?” The girls around them chorus, looking absolutely delighted at the threesome undertones of the conversation.

Kuroko looks completely unamused sitting between the two power forwards. “I generally dislike Kagami-kun and Aomine-kun using me as an excuse to flirt. They should acknowledge their attraction to each other before pulling me into their arguments.” His little rant is awarded by a chorus of squeals.

Well, Takao thinks, that’s actually pretty accurate.

“Kise-kun! Doesn’t it take up a lot of your time to balance basketball and a modeling career?”

“Eh?” Kise blinks, then smiles. “I guess it does, but I just can’t bring myself to give up either. Although I’m not quite on the same level as Aominecchi and Kagamicchi… Sometimes basketball makes me feel really insecure, but I’m always trying to chase and catch up to my friends. It’s also brought me so much happiness and helped me make more friends. I can’t imagine giving it up for anything! You understand, right?” 

“Yes, yes, of course!”

“Takao-kun, is that you?” 

Takao looks up to find Momoi standing next to the boy he met at the entrance. “Momoi-chan! Thank God you’re here too! I’m going crazy watching these people act out of character.”

“Shhh.” Momoi puts a finger over her mouth and smiles at the boy next to her. “Please don’t say that aloud. You’ll cause Kyouya-kun trouble. Right?”

Kyouya nods clinically as he reexamines Takao. “It’s true that our special events hosts had to undergo some training before they were allowed to interact with our clients. After the successful sales of Kise-kun’s photos, I felt the need to cash in on our bet. I do believe that our clients find something particularly attractive about athletes, although their choices of hosts are not unexpected given their normal designations. They have consistent tastes, after all.” He pauses. “Although I’m surprised that your type is the tsundere.”

Takao doesn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he grins at Momoi. “You took photos, right?”

“Of course.” Momoi smiles. “By the way. Have you met Renge-chan?” She nods towards the girl currently videotaping Midorima.

“Yes,” Takao says with a wicked grin. “I’m sure we’ll become good friends.”


End file.
